Game apparatus



Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 6, 1936, Serial No. 104,219 In Great Britain February 18, 1936 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a game apparatus, particularly adapted to be played to simulate a football contest or the like. The game device comprises a plate having a plurality of playing members thereon, which are mounted to be rotated about substantially vertical axes.

The main object of the invention is to provide playing members having arms of such a length as to make the areas traversed by the arms of two adjacent playing members, when rotated, partially coincide.

An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of the game device,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. l, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views showing modified embodiments of parts of the playing members on a larger scale, Fig. 4 being a sectional view on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing modified embodiments in which vertically flexible arms are employed.

According to Figs. 1 and 2, a horizontally positioned plate I is provided on its lower surface with supports 6 and on its upper surface with a play ground 2 framed by longitudinal ribs 3 and transverse ribs 4. The centre portions of the transverse ribs 4 are removed and replaced by goals 5 provided with movable goal keeper members of any suitable type.

Playing members A-F provided with shafts I0 are rotatably mounted in vertical bushings II in the plate I and equipped with substantially horizontal arms I 2 having substantially horizontal projections I3, I4, I5 thereon. The distance between projections I4 and I 5 of an arm I2 is somewhat in excess of the length of the diameter of a playing ball I6, and this also preferably applies to the distance between projections I3, I4 of two adjacent playing members, when facing each other as at B and C.

The arm I2 has an extension I2a of a length to place the outer end thereof approximately in a vertical plane through the projection I5 of an adjacent arm when the two arms are in the relative position shown at B and C in Fig. 1. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the extension I2a lies in the same horizontal plane as the arm I2, and in this case some of said arms I2 will have to be positioned at another height above the play ground 2 than the others, so as to enable the first-mentioned arms, when rotated, to pass. below 0r abQVQ 13h@ las; mentioned Ones: Y

In the drawing said extensions I 2a comprise thin metal strips.

A third embodiment of said arms is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case the arms I2 and extensions IZa are all in one and the same horizontal plane, the arms I2, or at least the extensions, being flexible vertically in order to enable two arms, or extensions, when engaging each other, to be bent upwards or downwards and thus pass each other. To facilitate this procedure, the 10 extensions are suitably provided with sharp edges, as shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 3 a modified embodiment of the arms I 2 and their extensions I2a is illustrated. In this embodiment the arms I2 are positioned at one 15 the plate I by lines or the like 28 acting upon 25 grooved wheels or the like 20 and 26 secured to the shafts I0 and 2I, respectively. As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, playing members B, D, and F are manipulated by the cranks 22 and 24, playing members A, C, and E being manipulated by the cranks 23 and 25 positioned at the opposite end of the plate I. Naturally, the playing members may be manipulated by other known means, or each playing member may be individually manipulated by a separate crank or. other 35 suitable means.

By suitably rotating and stopping cranks 22-25 the ball I6 may be caught inside one of the projections I3 and I5 or between projections I4 and I5 and forcibly pushed in any desired direction. 4U

On the other hand, when the ball is caught by any of the projections I3 or I4 the opposing player may steal it by means of the extension I 2a of an adjacent arm I2. Every point of the play ground 2 lies within the area of operation of the playing members.

In order to enable the players, if desired, to lift the ball from the play ground and to send it flying through the air past one or more playing members barring the way, the arms may be provided, preferably between projections I4 and I5, with means, such as horizontal or inclined plates 30 or 3|, Fig. 4, threads or the like, acting upon the lower fourth of the ball I6.

vThe invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown but Various deviations may be made therefrom Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

l. In a game apparatus particularly for simulating a football contest and similar contests, a plate having a substantially horizontal position so as to form a play ground, a plurality of playing members mounted in bearings at different points of said play ground so as to be rotatable about substantially vertical axes, substantially horizontal arms connected to said playing members, lateral projections on said arms of such an ar# rangement and shape as to prevent a ball trapped inside one of said projections from rolling radially outwards along said arm.

2. A game apparatus as in claim v1, further characterized by means attached to said arms and adapted together with the arm, when hitting the ball, to lift it from the play ground and send it flying through the air.

3. In a game apparatus particularly for simulating a football contest and similar contests, a plate having a substantially horizontal position so as to form a play ground, a plurality of playing members mounted in bearings at different points of said play ground so as to be rotatable about substantially vertical axes, substantially horizontal arms connected to said playing members, lateral projections on said arms of such an` arrangement and shape as to prevent a ball trapped inside one of said projections from rolling radially outwards along said arm, and extensions on said arms, the extensions of adjacent arms overlapping each other at diiferent levels so as to play partly over the same area and freely pass each other at any time.

4. In a game apparatus particularly for simulating a football contest and similar contests, a plate having a substantially horizontal position so as to form a play ground, a plurality of playing members mounted in bearings at different points of said play ground so as to be rotatable about substantially vertical axes, substantially horizontal arms connected to said playing members, lateral projections on said arms of such an arrangement and shape as to prevent a ball trapped inside one of said projections from rolling radially outwards along said arm, means attached to said arms adapted together with the arm, when hitting the ball, to lift it from the play ground and send it ying through the air, and extensions on said arms, the extensions of adjacent arms overlapping each other at different levels so as to play partly over the same area and freely pass each other at any time. v

5. In a game apparatus particularly for simulating a football contest and similar contests, a plate having a substantially horizontal position so as to forma play ground, a plurality of playing members mounted in bearings at different points of said play ground so as to be rotated about substantially Vertical axes, substantially horizontal arms connected to said playing members, means attached to said arms adapted together with the arm, when hitting the ball, to lift it from the play ground and send it flying through the air, and extensions on said arms, the extensions of adjacent arms overlapping each other at different levels so as to play partly over the same area and freely pass each other at any time.

EINAR WILHELM LARSSON-LETZN. 

